1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for retrieving information for a navigation system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for destination information retrieval that provides information about terminals and transportation companies that utilize transportation stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a navigation system for navigating a vehicle guides a user to a desired destination by determining the vehicle position, reading map data for the vehicle position and the vicinity from a storage medium such as a DVD-ROM, and displaying a map image on a display screen based on the read map data while displaying a vehicle position mark superimposed at a predetermined position on the map image. The vehicle position mark may be moved on the screen as the vehicle position moves as the vehicle travels, or the vehicle position mark may be fixed to a predetermined position, such as the center, of the map which is then scrolled, in order to provide map information of the vehicle position and the vicinity at a glance. Such a navigation system has a route guiding function that determines a guidance route from a starting point to a destination, displays the guidance route on the map, and performs intersection guidance together with a zoomed map of an intersection and an indication of the travel direction. FIGS. 11A to 11D are views showing a known destination information retrieval method for navigation systems when the desired destination is an airport by way of example.
First, a telephone directory or a category list JL is displayed on a display DPL, as shown in FIG. 11A. When a user selects xe2x80x9cairports,xe2x80x9d an airport list APL shown in FIG. 11B is then displayed, and an airport terminal list TL shown in FIG. 11C is displayed in response to selection of the desired airport. In turn, when a desired airport terminal is selected, a map of the desired destination, namely, a target airport TGT, and the vicinity is displayed, as shown in FIG. 11D, with the target airport TGT being located at the center. The displayed map can be used to enter a destination or to register some points.
However, such a conventional destination information retrieval method for navigation systems encounters some problems. For example, when an airport is entered as a destination, the conventional method does not involve providing information about airport terminals on airline companies that utilize that airport, and it is cumbersome for users to ask the airline company in advance about the airport terminal.
Further, the conventional destination information retrieval method does not involve providing flight information, and it is cumbersome for users to previously ask the airline company in advance about the flight information.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention involves, when a transportation station is inputted as a desired destination, allowing a user to select a desired transportation company in the destination retrieval, whereby selection of the transportation company facilitates the provision of the desired terminal of that station.
Another object of the present invention involves, when a transportation station is inputted as a desired destination, allowing a user to select a desired service number of a transportation company, such as a flight number, in the destination retrieval, thereby providing information about the desired service number.
To this end, in one embodiment of the present invention, a destination information retrieval method for navigation systems, for retrieving information about a desired destination, includes the acts of: storing transportation station data, transportation company data, and terminal data in a database; searching the database for a desired transportation station when the desired transportation station is inputted as the desired destination; providing information about one or more transportation companies that utilize the desired station; and providing information about one or more terminals when a desired transportation company is selected.
The transportation stations may be airports, and the transportation companies may be airlines.
The destination information retrieval method may further include the acts of: determining, based on the desired transportation station, whether the desired transportation station has a plurality of terminals; and providing information about the one or more transportation companies that utilize the desired transportation station when the station searched for has a plurality of terminals.
The destination information retrieval method may further include the steps of: determining, based on the information about the desired transportation station, whether the desired transportation station is utilized by a plurality of transportation companies; and providing information about one or more transportation companies that utilize the desired transportation station when the desired transportation station is utilized by a plurality of transportation companies.
In another aspect of the present invention, a navigation system for retrieving information about a desired destination includes: a storage unit for storing therein transportation station data, transportation company data, and terminal data; a searching unit for, when a desired transportation station is inputted as the desired destination, searching the storage unit for the desired transportation station, and for determining, based on the transportation station data, whether the desired transportation station has a plurality of terminals; and a control unit for, when it is found from the result of the searching unit that the desired transportation station has a plurality of terminals, searching the transportation station data for transportation companies that utilize the desired transportation station to provide information about the resulting transportation companies, and providing information about the terminal in which a desired transportation company operates when the desired transportation company is selected from the provided transportation companies.
According to the present invention, a navigation system for retrieving information about a desired destination may also include: a storage unit for storing therein transportation station data, transportation company data, and terminal data; a searching unit for, when a desired transportation station is inputted as the destination, searching the storage unit for the desired transportation station, and for determining, based on the information about the desired transportation station, whether the station is utilized by a plurality of transportation companies; and a control unit for, when it is found from the result of the searching unit that the desired transportation station is utilized by a plurality of transportation companies, providing information about the plurality of transportation companies, and providing information about the terminal in which a desired transportation company operates when the desired transportation company is selected from the provided transportation companies.
The storage unit may contain airport data as the transportation station data, and airline data as the transportation company data.
In another aspect of the present invention, a destination information retrieval method for navigation systems, for retrieving information about a desired destination which has been inputted, includes the acts of: storing transportation station data, transportation company data, and terminal data in a database; searching the database for a desired transportation station when the desired transportation station is inputted as the destination; determining, based on the information about the desired transportation station, whether the desired transportation station has a plurality of terminals; when the desired transportation station has a plurality of terminals, searching the database for one or more transportation companies that utilize the desired transportation station to provide information about the resulting transportation companies; when a desired transportation company is selected from the one or more transportation companies that utilize the desired transportation station, providing service information about the desired transportation company, the service number information being externally obtained; and providing information about the terminal for a desired service number when the desired service number is selected from the provided service information.
In another aspect of the present invention, a destination information retrieval method for navigation systems, for retrieving information about a desired destination which has been inputted, includes the acts of: storing transportation station data, transportation company data, and terminal data; searching the database for a desired transportation station when the desired station is inputted as the desired destination; determining, based on the information about the desired station, whether the desired station has a plurality of transportation companies; when the desired station has a plurality of transportation companies, providing information about the plurality of transportation companies; when a desired transportation company is selected from a plurality of transportation companies, providing service number information for the desired transportation company, the service number information being externally obtained; and providing information about the terminal for a desired service number when the desired service number is selected from the provided service information.